Jocelyn Sears

Jocelyn Sears is a staff researcher for mental_floss.com, a poet, and a dog enthusiast. She is strongly in favor of the Oxford comma.

13 Trailblazing Facts About Kamala Harris

Being a pioneer is nothing new for Kamala Harris.... READ ON

Why Does Santa Claus Come Down the Chimney?

The fireplace served as a venue for magical visitors long before Santa Claus came along.... READ ON

5 Very Early Stories About American Women and Voting

During colonial times and in the earliest days of the U.S., a small number of women managed to vote despite circumstances stacked against them.... READ ON

9 Facts About Jeannette Rankin, the First Woman Elected to Congress

“I felt the first time the first woman had a chance to say no to war, she should say it.”... READ ON

23 Funny Historical Letters to Santa

"I wish you would please bring me a typewriter and a drum and a doll dressed in a sailor suit so I can call it Raymond."... READ ON

20 Amazingly Valuable Thrift Store Finds

Thrift stores are always a treasure trove of vintage items—but sometimes a lucky shopper comes across an actual treasure.... READ ON

9 Facts About Frances Perkins, the First Female Cabinet Member

As Labor Secretary, she tried to save Jews fleeing the Nazi regime.... READ ON

13 Questionable Weight-Loss Products From History

Some of the methods proposed for “reducing” were downright bizarre—and even dangerous.... READ ON

9 Facts About Pioneering Lawyer and Activist Belva Lockwood

She was the first female presidential candidate to receive votes.... READ ON

7 Facts About Bertha Knight Landes, First Female Mayor of a Major American City

Landes thought women were better-suited than men to be mayor, and Seattle agreed, at least for a while.... READ ON

9 Facts about Bibb County, Alabama

5. Officials have forbidden the sale of alcohol there for over a century.... READ ON

Why Women Couldn’t Wear Pants on the Senate Floor Until 1993

Two political pioneers staged a "Pantsuit Revolution."... READ ON

14 Vintage Ads Featuring Ronald Reagan

Long before he was the 40th president, Ronald Reagan was known for his films, his romances, and his ability to sell cigarettes, shirts, and electricity.... READ ON

9 Facts You Should Know About Maggie Hassan

Advocating for a son with cerebral palsy helped propel her into government work.... READ ON

9 Things You Might Not Know About Catherine Cortez Masto

As a tourism official, her father green-lighted the Las Vegas slogan “What happens here stays here.”... READ ON

16 Things You Might Not Know About Tammy Duckworth

She has an impressive history of overcoming adversity with grit and humor.... READ ON

8 Odd Beauty Standards in Turn-of-the-Century Photographs

Cheekbones on women used to be considered "too masculine."... READ ON

7 Photographic Tricks, Hoaxes, and Fads Before Photoshop

Fake decapitation was the LOLcats of the 19th century.... READ ON

How Photo Retouching Worked Before Photoshop

Photographers and cultural critics have long debated the ethics of retouching—even when it took place directly on the negative in the 19th century.... READ ON

The Second Largest Religion in Each State

While the United States population has become less religious in recent years, the overwhelming majority of Americans still identify as Protestant or Catholic.... READ ON

How 30 Chicago Streets Got Their Names

There are hundreds upon hundreds of streets vectoring through the Windy City, and we've selected 30 whose etymologies were begging to be explored.... READ ON

Behind the Magic: 15 Secrets of Disney Park Characters

As kids we hugged them, took pictures with them, and collected their autographs. But what’s it like to be an adult earning your living as Winnie the Pooh or Cinderella?... READ ON

How Nashville's Neighborhoods Got Their Names

A little Nashville history.... READ ON

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